I recently came across a new blog to add to my regular subscriptions – Spanish Recipes by Nuria. I think I might have a little experience cooking some Spanish-inspired food, but I can’t say for sure whether I have cooked anything truly authentic. I can tell you that I do enjoy eating authentic Spanish food though it’s not the easiest to come by. About 5 minutes after browsing this wonderfully delicious and well-written blog, I got the idea for my next interactive dinner party – to host a real tapas party. I think many Americans are open to the idea of tapas but we don’t always use it correctly – I can’t tell you how many times I have heard people talk about hosting “tapas” parties and listing a menu full of typical American hors d’oeuvres (no different than what we call a cocktail party), or referred to a family-style dinner as being served “tapas style”. I would like to host a tapas party where were really focus on the concepts of small plates and authentic Spanish items. I envision doing this sometime this summer. I will plan on providing the main event – a real paella, which I will research ahead of time to make sure I get it right! And I will ask my friends to each thoughtfully select a real Spanish tapas dish. I think it will be a great new challenge, a fun learning and eating experience!

But that’s still a bit far and away, so in the meantime I am focusing on Nuria’s current blogging event, Blog Your Omelet. Omelets and frittatas are a great way to use up smidgens of leftover cheeses, veggies and meats. You don’t need a whole lot of one whole thing, and lots of little things can work together (oooh, kind of like tapas!) For this frittata, I was able to use up some leftover smoked salmon, an about-to-brown leftover half of an avocado and the (almost) last bits of a log of soft goat cheese. All things I love, and all things that worked in harmony in this quick and healthy dinner.

Heat olive oil in an oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook for about 7 minutes or until softened and translucent. Add smoked salmon and avocado, cook 1 minute more and season with freshly ground pepper. Pour in egg mixture. Cook for about 10 minutes more, covered, removing cover occasionally to gently stir the mixture and lift the cooked edges with a spatula, letting uncooked egg run underneath. When the frittata is set through the bottom and middle and just the top remains runny, remove from heat and crumble the goat cheese over it. Place the skillet under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes or until frittata is set, lightly browned, and cheese is melted.

Nutritional InfoServings Per Recipe: 4 (This could make 4 servings, but for a more filling dinner, the two of us can share the whole frittata along with a soup or vegetable side.)